ReTray: the innovation that seeks to replace EPS trays in fresh food

The problem: an efficient packaging, but difficult to recycle

For decades, extended polystyrene trays (EPS) has been an efficient solution to package fresh foods, such as meat, chicken, fruits, and vegetables. It is lightweight, cheap, and adequately protects products.

However, its main advantage is also its biggest challenge: recyclability is limited. Given its low density, EPS is difficult to collect, transport, separate, and recycle.

Because of this, their use is being restricted in several regions of the world and is facing prohibitive regulations in several US states.

Given this landscape, the food industry needs alternatives with the same performance but aligned with new sustainability standards.

The solution: Paper-like and the development of ReTray

Since 2015, at Grupo Plastilene, we have developed Paper-Like, a technology that was developed through internal research processes, focused on reduced material use and sustainability offerings for the food industry.

Paper-Like is a plastic material that looks like paper and has a combination of properties from both worlds.

For final consumers the material feels like paperboard. For the industry it works as a “drop-in solution” that can be used in the existing production lines without operational changes, or additional investments.

Paper-like offers similar characteristics to paper, it:

• Folds
• Tears
• Allows for printing

And retains important plastic properties:

• Moisture resistant
• Grease resistant
• High durability

Besides, it is a mono-material, which facilitates its recyclability when compared to other multimaterial structures (paper, plastic, cardboard, wax, and others) which are difficult to separate.

Another relevant aspect is its improved and reduced carbon footprint when compared to other packaging alternatives.

New uses, new markets

Thanks to its versatility, this Paper-Like technology has opened up opportunities in multiple packaging applications, amongst them:

• Bacon packaging
• Frozen food packaging
• Baked goods
• Milk and juice boxes
• Cheese interleavers

These applications prove to have the material potential to replace multimaterial structures and improve their recyclability.

ReTray: a new alternative to replace EPC

By developing of this new technology, Re Tray (Patent Pending Recyclable Tray) was born, a tray designed specifically to replace EPS trays used in fresh food.

ReTray retains the functional performance of EPS, but with a lower environmental impact.

These are amongst its main characteristics:

• Moisture and grease resistance
• Structural stability
• Drop in solution and compatibility with existing production lines

Its higher density when compared to EPS facilitates its management, transportation, sortation, and recycling when going through material recovery systems.

At the same time, it is one of the most lightweight solutions available to replace EPS, maintaining logistical efficiency.

From Colombia to the United States: trial run with Caruso USA

Even though this idea was born in Colombia, the project found a new key opportunity when CIFT Ohio connected Grupo Plastilene to Caruso USA, a producer of fresh-cut sweet corn.

Caruso was looking for alternatives to replace polystyrene trays used in their packaging process.

After receiving ReTray samples in Ohio, they did the first trial runs. We later got confirmation: a picture of the sweet corn packaged in the new tray.

The system worked! That’s the moment that signaled the switch from a lab-based development to a real solution with a real client.

NextCycle: innovation accelerator

The project was later presented at NextCycle, an initiative led by Michigan University to promote sustainable packaging solutions.

With the support from CIFT and Ohio University, the project entered an accelerated process similar to that of a startup.

During said process, we received key results:

• Successful runs in automatic lines
• Life span similar to that of EPS
• Automatic classification approved as a 3D object
• The material was identified as HDPE

The NextCycle jury recognized the product as the “Most Innovative” as well as awarded the innovation with an economic incentive.

Recyclable by design and system

In Colombia, Paper-Like can now be considered as recyclable thanks to the existing infrastructure and the work done with recyclers to support its proper identification and recovery.

In the United States, sortation relies on two key aspects:

• Acceptance at MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities)
• Compliance with APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers) guidelines

The first tests have already achieved the initial sortation. Today, the team works alongside associations and recyclers to complete the certification process.

To innovate is to achieve adoption

An idea only becomes an innovation when the market adopts it.

Today, ReTray has already taken an important step: it has passed initial prototyping to a test run with a customer, the backing from a program such as NextCycle, and the registration of a patent in Colombia.

The next challenge is to escalate the production, complete the recycling certifications in the United States, and prove its real operational performance.

If this is achieved, the development promoted by Colombia and accelerated alongside Caruso USA can become an example of how a sustainability initiative can transform itself into scalable adoption within packaging.

The food industry is looking for sustainable solutions that work within the current production lines. ReTray proves that this is possible.